Gravitating hinge.



WITNESSES 1 Z 7 J58 in S JflZ/cefl 3 n I i I I I I J. J. MERGER.

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AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA UG.21,1912. 1 ,O46,209, Patented Dec. 3,1912.

[VI ENTOR COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH co.. WASHINGTON, u c.

JOSIAS J. MERCER, OF CHOWDER, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-THIRD TO SAMUELD. ADKINS AND ONE-THIRD TO FLOYD D. MARSHALL, BOTH OF CROWDER, MISSOURI.

GBAVITATING HINGE.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, JOsIAs J. MERGER, citi- Zen of the United States,residing at Crowder, in the county of Scott and State of Missouri, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Gravit-ating Hinges, ofwhich the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to certain new and useful improvements inhinges of that general type which admit of the door or swinging memberbeing readily moved into an open position and provide for the automaticreturn of the door to a closed position as soon as released.

Among the objects of the invention is to provide a hinge of thischaracter which embodies novel features of construction whereby the useof a metallic spring is eliminated, thereby greatly simplifying theconstruction of the hinge and also reducing the cost of constructionthereof.

Further objects of the invention are to provide a hinge of thischaracter which is comparatively simple and inexpensive in itsconstruction, which admits of the swinging closure being moved freelyinto an open position and provides for the return thereof to a closedposition as soon as released, and which embodies few and durable partsadapted to be quickly assembled or taken apart as may be foundnecessary.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in certainnovel combinations and arrangements of the parts as will more fullyappear as the description proceeds, the novel features thereof beingpointed out in the appended claims.

For a full understanding of the invention, reference is to be had to thefollowing description and accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is aside elevation of a hinge constructed in accordance with the invention,portions being broken away and shown in section, Fig. 2 is a detailperspective view of the hinge, the various parts thereof beingseparated, and Fig. 3 is a side elevation of a portion of thecylindrical post which is provided with the cam groove.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the followingdescription and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the samereference characters.

Specifically describing the present em- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed August 21,

bodiment of the invention, the numeral 1 Patented Dec. 3, 1912.

1912. Serial No. 716,296.

designates a gate post or other fixed member upon which the gate orswinging closure 2 is mounted. A pair of angle brackets 3 are secured tothe gate post 1 and provide a means for supporting the pintle A of thehinge. This pintle 4; is substantially cylindrical in shape and isprovided at the opposite endsthereof with the polygonal heads 5. One ofthe arms of each of the angle brackets 3 is formed with a polygonalopening adapted to loosely receive the corresponding polygonal head 5 ofthe pintle, while the op poslte arm of each of the angle brackets isadapted to be secured to the gate post by means of suitable fasteningmembers 6.

At an intermediate point in its length the pintle 4 is provided with anannular cam groove 7, the lower portion of the groove facing away fromthe fixed member or gate post 1, while the highest portion of the camgroove is disposed adjacent to the gate post. A sleeve 8 is looselyfitted upon the pintle 4 so as to be susceptible of both a rotary and alongitudinal movement, one side of the sleeve being provided with athreaded opening 9. A plate 10 is adapted to be secured to the swingingclosure 2 by suitable fastening members 11, and one edge of this plate10 is provided with a threaded lug l2 adapted to be screwed into theopening 9 of the sleeve 8. This lug 12 terminates in a reduced andunthreaded end 12 which pro jects interiorly within the sleeve 8 and isloosely received within the cam grove 7 of the pintle 4.

WVith the above construction it will be obvious that the swingingclosure 2 will normally assume a position of rest with the lug 12 at thelowest portion of the cam groove 7. The closure is then in a closedposition, although it can be swung freely in either direction into anopen position. When the gate or closure 2 is swung into an openposition, it will be obvious that the sleeve 8 will be rotated upon thepintle 4t, and the reduced end 12 of the lug 12 will ride in the camgroove 7 so as to move the sleeve 8 longitudinally and upwardly upon thepintle. The gate or swinging closure 2 will thus be bodily raised a veryslight extent when swung into an open position. As soon as the gate isreleased, the force of gravity acting upon the same will tend to swingthe same back to its original or closed position, with the reduced end12 of the lug 12 at the lowest end of the cam groove 7. It will thus beobvious that the gate or swinging closure can be swung freely in eitherdirection, although it will. always return to a closed position as soonas released.

As shown by Fig. 2, the lug 12 is preferably ofi'set from the plane ofthe plate 10, so that when the plate is secured to the side of the gateor swinging closure, the lug will project directly from the edge of thegate, instead of being offset therefrom.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. A hinge including a pintle provided with a cam groove, supportingbrackets for the pintle, a sleeve formed with a lateral opening andfitted loosely upon the pintle so as to have both a rotary and alongitudinal movement, a hinge plate adapted to be secured to a swingingclosure, and a lug projecting from the hinge plate and adapted to berigidly fitted within the lateral opening of the sleeve with the endthereof projecting interiorly within the sleeve and engaging the camgroove of the pintle, said lug cooperating with the cam groove of the anintermediate point in the length thereof with a cam groove and formed atits opposite ends with polygonal heads, a pair of angle brackets, one ofthe arms of each of the angle bracketsbeing formed with a polygonalopening adapted to loosely receive the corresponding polygonal head ofthe pintle, while the opposite arm thereof is adapted to be secured to asupport, a sleeve loosely mounted upon the pintle for both a rotary anda longitudinal movement thereon, a swing closure rigid with the sleeve,and an interiorly projecting lug rigid with the sleeve, said lugengaging thecam groove of the pintle and cooperating therewith to raisethe sleeve and swinging closure when the latter is moved out of normalposition.

In testimony whereof Iaflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOSIAS J. MERGER. Witnesses S. D. ADKINS, F. D. MARSHALL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. 0.

